I’m off to tomorrow morning to the wilds of New Jersey—Lambertville to be exact—for Mr. Bookdwarf’s family reunion. I hope to get some reading done over the weekend as well. I’m bringing a handful of books just in case one doesn’t agree with me.

• Have I mentioned Critical Mass, the blog of the National Book Critics Circle, before now? They usually have some interesting discussions going. Currently the topic is self-published books and why no one reviews them. It brings up larger issues of course, the nature of publishing and the difficulties in getting noticed in a growing sea of books.
• Mark pointed out this great Literature Map. Just type in a name and see where it leads.
• The delightful Pinky has a three part podcast with Aimee Bender. Here are parts 1, 2, and 3.
• Birnbaum talks with Susan Straight, author of A Million Nightingales.
• This week the discussion on the LBC focuses on Skin by Kellie Wells from the University of Nebraska Press. The Press has started a blog.